


The Monk of the Inquisition

by Totally_not_a_Weeb



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dungeons & Dragons - All Media Types
Genre: Asexual Character, Cultural Differences, F/F, Fictional Religion & Theology, Monks, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2018-08-20
Packaged: 2019-06-29 06:08:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15723531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Totally_not_a_Weeb/pseuds/Totally_not_a_Weeb
Summary: The Herald of Andraste is a kind, young woman, who is a good choice for the Inquisition to display. She was smart, a capable fighter, and eager to learn. She was perfect for the Inquisition's needs. Maker help them all.OrXui Qu has no idea where she is, why everyone keeps thinking that she's a mage despite the number of times that she says she's a monk and why they thought she is the blessed champion of some god who she's never heard of.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Next One](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5165405) by [RighteousMaximus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RighteousMaximus/pseuds/RighteousMaximus). 



> Help, my AO3 is getting out of control. This is basically the result of me imagining what a Way of Tranquility Monk from D&D would be like if she was shoved headfirst into Dragon Age: Inquisition, as the Inquisitor, that is all this entire oneshot (and maybe more if I like the idea enough) is based off, a thought I had yesterday.
> 
> Leave a comment if you like this or dislike this and leave a kudos if you're feeling shy or don't know what to say and I hope that I never write anything for this ever again, but my muse has a mind of her own.

 

Cassandra Pentaghast was someone who sometimes hated her job as the Right Hand of the Divine, but the feelings of hating her exaggerated reputation as the one who saved the Divine was nothing compared to what she was feeling right now.

 

The Conclave has been destroyed, the Divine was dead, as was the major leaders of both the Chantry, the Templars and the Mages, meaning that the damnable war between the Templars and Mages would continue.

 

And to top it all off, there was now a great big hole in the sky that had a massive pale green column of seemingly magical energy pouring out of it. This would probably be the beginning of one of Varric's damnable tales about valour and heroism, there was only one survivor at the conclave, a young woman, seemingly human with sunkissed skin alongside platinum blonde hair styled into a short bob.

 

The human was wearing a set of clothes that she couldn't really place on any nationality in Thedas, it was rather rough and thick looking clothes, the sort that one would need for travelling to the Temple of Sacred Ashes. It was a grey tunic with short sleeves, a brown leather vest, breeches made of the same material, thick boots that came up to her shins made out of brown leather and brown leather fingerless gloves. If Cassandra was to guess, she would assume that this woman was a pilgrim of some kind.

 

Though amongst the possessions of the woman was aside from a coin pouch containing unfamiliar coins, a few bone necklaces and a pair of onyx earrings was a long staff that seemed to be made out of oak or some other dark wood, at each end of the staves were brass balls at the end with a few decorative patterns, a mage of some kind perhaps?

 

Though the crowning achievement of oddness and what was almost damning evidence was that on the mage's left hand there was a hole of seemingly pure magical energy that was the same colour as the great big column in the sky.

 

Her soldiers had found the woman a few days ago, she had been unconscious for quite a while. The Breach, as it had been termed, was barely being held by her men.

 

The prisoner, on the other hand, was kneeling in front of her, clad in her strange clothes and in thick iron manacles, the energy on her left hand sparked slightly, emitting a bright green light and then the prisoner woke.

 

There were many emotions that were apparent on her face, confusion, shock and then it was replaced with an almost unearthly calm. She looked at her hands and the mark sparked again causing a small gasp to rise from the prisoner. There were four different guards who had swords drawn at her ready to kill her if she should prove to be the slightest threat.

 

The door opened and the Left Hand of the Divine, Leliana, clad in her spymaster's armour, stepped into the room. Giving a brief nod to Cassandra, who then began to circle the prisoner. Cassandra got behind the prisoner and said into her ear, "Tell me why we shouldn't kill you now?" then standing at full height and starting to circle around again "The Conclave is destroyed, everyone who attended is dead." and then coming to the front of the prisoner, "Except for you."

 

The Prisoner remained silent, her face a mask of unearthly calmness.

 

Cassandra lifted the prisoner's hands and sternly intoned "Explain this." As if on command, the mark on the prisoner's hand sparked up again, bright green making itself visible from within the closed fist. Cassandra threw her captive's hands down.

 

"I can't." The Prisoner said, her voice had a bit of worry in it, but for the most part, she was calm. Leliana went to the other side of the prisoner and both of them began to circle her.

 

"What do you mean you can't?" Cassandra was getting frustrated, several days of waiting and this was all that she was getting, a confused girl?

 

"I don't know what that is, or how I even got here." The Prisoner said, her calmness started to make Cassandra very angry, which was something that she could use to her advantage

 

"You're lying!" she said, her voice raised slightly as she reached for the prisoner, only to have Leliana force her away.

 

"We need her, Cassandra," The Spymaster said, unfortunately speaking the simple truth. Leliana turned to the prisoner who looked at both of them with a look of slight bemusement

 

"So, what happens now?" The Prisoner said, getting a bit uncomfortable in the position that she was in.

 

"Do you remember what happened? How this began?" Leliana asked, approaching the Prisoner, being the Velvet Glove to Cassandra's Iron Fist, the Prisoner looked down and began thinking

 

"I remember running, from some things that were chasing me and a ... woman?" Cassandra took this opportunity to circle around and get behind the Prisoner

 

"A woman?" Leliana asked, apparently a bit intrigued.

 

"She reached out to me and then..." The prisoner said, a bit of confusion ebbing into her voice. They were wasting time here, the more time they spent here, the more that idiot, Chancellor Rodrick could claim that he had some command over the forward camp.

 

"Go to the forward camp, Leliana. I'll take her to the Rift." Cassandra said, the spymaster walked out and Cassandra, despite herself, started to unlock some of the prisoner's restraints, removing the iron manacles but keeping the rough rope bounds under them secure.

 

"What exactly did happen?" She asked, being stood up by Cassandra.

 

"It will be easier to show you." She said walking out of the room and hearing the Prisoner's restraints clink together as she moved as well.

 

As they exited the Chantry and entered the perpetually cold town of Haven, Cassandra stopped to show The Breach to her prisoner, who had seemingly stopped, stunned into silence at the size of the thing. "We call it 'The Breach' it is a massive rift into the world of demons that grows larger each passing hour." She looked towards the Prisoner "It's not the only such rift, just the largest. All were caused by the explosion at the Conclave."

 

"I didn't know an explosion can do that." The prisoner said, now that Cassandra thought about it, she had an odd accent, it reminded her vaguely of a Tevinter accent

 

"This one did," Cassandra said, looking at her prisoner who seemed to have dark brown eyes "unless we act, The Breach may grow until it swallows the World." As if on cue, the breach grew slightly and with that, the Prisoner's mark glowed, violently causing the prisoner to bite back a scream of pain though that didn't stop the Prisoner from kneeling down and doing her best to cradle the hand despite her restraints "Each time the Breach expands, your mark spreads ... and it is killing you." She said, despite herself, Cassandra felt a small amount of pity for her Prisoner, who clearly had no idea what was going on. "It may be the key to stopping this, but there isn't much time."

 

"I'll do what I can and whatever it takes." The Prisoner said, her voice sounding a bit more resolute. Cassandra stood her prisoner up again and marched her through the town of Haven, where they were met with booing villagers and jeering soldiers.

 

"They have decided your guilt. They-"

 

"-need someone to blame." The Prisoner said, catching on quickly as Cassandra tried to move the Prisoner as quickly as possible.

 

"The people of Haven mourn our Most Holy, Divine Justina, Head of the Chantry. This Conclave was hers," As they passed out of the village of Haven and into a small valley that leads to a small gate she continued "It was a chance for peace between Mages and Templars, she brought their leaders together and now they are dead." As they passed through the gate, her prisoner seemingly ignoring the looks of contempt or pure hatred that several of the soldiers gave towards her. "We lash out like the sky, but we must think beyond ourselves as she did. Until the Breach is sealed." Cassandra brought her prisoner to a stop, pulling out one her daggers, she cut the prisoner's main restraints. "There will be a trail, I can promise no more." She sheathed her dagger as she cut through the rough rope, "Come it is not far."

 

"Where are you taking me?" The Prisoner asked, absentmindedly, though it was obvious that she was focusing on her newly released hands

 

"Your mark needs to be tested on something smaller than the Breach," Cassandra responded, not quite answering her prisoner's question. Leading her prisoner along the bridge past another gate, she looked and saw that she seemed to be very confident, despite her lack of weapons.

 

They moved past several manned barricades in the valley, the Prisoner seemingly being hurt when she saw a corpse there. The sparked once more. "I'm guessing it doesn't pulse this much." The prisoner said, her voice had a layer of pain to it, but it was mostly calm

 

"The larger the Breach grows, the more rifts appear the more demons we face," Cassandra said, annoyed and implying to the prisoner what those pulses meant.

 

"So, how did I survive the blast?"

 

"They say you stepped out a rift, and then fell unconscious. They say a woman was in a rift behind you, but no one knows who she was." She paused, "Everything farther in the valley was laid to waste, including the Temple of Sacred Ashes." The prisoner looked interested at the name of the temple, "I suppose you'll see soon enough." The both of them stepped onto a bridge and then suddenly, a blast of green energy from the Breach slammed onto the stone, breaking it and causing the bridge to collapse.

 

The two of them landed into a smaller ravine under the bridge and almost as if to mock her, a shade appeared from another blast of energy. Cassandra, being a veteran warrior that she was, had unslung her Seeker's Sheild and drawn her sword almost as quick as she drew breath "Stay behind me." She shouted at the unarmed prisoner, charging the single shade.

 

She heard the sound of a shade coming into being behind her and the prisoner grabbing something, there was the sound of a brief struggle as she assumed the prisoner tried to hold off the shade, as Cassandra easily defeated the first one, she turned around and saw that the Prisoner had finished off her own shade with a staff that she had grabbed nearby, "It's over" she said softly, though Cassandra knew that it was not a smart idea to let a prisoner wander around armed.

 

"Drop your weapon." She commanded, pointing her sword at the Prisoner "Now." Though she noted that the Prisoner seemed a bit unbalanced with the rather rough looking staff.

 

"Alright, I'll disarm," She said, dropping the staff to the ground

 

"Wait," Cassandra said, realising something, to her own shame, knowing that she was dealing with a possible mage, she sheathed her sword "you don't need a staff. But you should have one, I cannot protect you." She started to step out of the ravine before she paused "I should remember that you agreed to come willingly."

 

The two of them continued through the smaller ravine, fighting off shades as they went, though what seemed to boggle the mind for Cassandra, was her Prisoner, who didn't use the staff as she expected a mage to use one, instead of fighting from a range and blasting elemental attacks into opponents, she stood beside Cassandra and used the staff sort of similar to how one would use a great weapon, though the way in which she thought was rather pretty, it was like a dance of some kind, her movements fluid as she dodged under the claw strike of a shade and delivered a strike to the top of the Shade's head with a brutal swing with her staff.

 

The Prisoner mumbled something to herself and stopped, "I've totally forgotten to introduce myself." She said, pausing for pleasantries when the world seemed to be ending around them, slamming the staff into the ground "I am Xui Qu," She bowed at the hip as she said it. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Cassandra."

 

"You are aware that the mark is killing you right now?"

 

"Yes, but it doesn't mean that you don't deserve to know my name, besides, you were probably referring to me as 'Prisoner' in your thoughts throughout this entire time period," Xui said, hitting the mark surprisingly well.

 

The two of them eventually found a small staircase that was half-hidden in the deep snow. Ascending it, Cassandra began to hear the sound of fighting and stepping up to where the smaller rift was, the two of them began to charge into the fray.

 

* * *

 

Varric was the sort of dwarf who liked to look at things 'sunny side up' as it were, the world might be ending, but that wasn't a reason to be glum all the time, though, after the tale of the Champion, he might be more inclined to have a comedy or an uplifting tale of brotherhood or peace, but the Maker seemingly didn't like something that fun, so here he was, in another Tragedy, the seeker and a tagalong that he recognised as the survivor of the explosion that killed the Conclave and started the end of the world, were fighting side by side, with the Prisoner making use of her staff as a primarily melee weapon instead of using it as a ranged weapon like every mage worth their lyrium.

 

So after the fight was over, that bold elf mage that he was fighting alongside, Solas, shoved the Prisoner's hand into the rift and straight up closed it. So, there was a positive aspect, there was a way to close rifts, just a shame that it seemed to rely on one prisoner who looked rather confused at this entire situation. Though Solas was glad to explain it with a flurry of terminology that Varric would admit, flew directly over his head. He could've been talking about the most interesting thing in Thedas right now, but Varric would've had no idea.

 

Eventually, the Prisoner turned to Varric, she had a look of unearthly calmness in her eyes for someone who was facing literal demons, the staff that she was carrying didn't seem to fit her at all, she took in all the details about him seemingly in an instant, though her eyes seemed to focus on Bianca. The only thing that Varric understood from Solas' lecture was that apparently, the Prisoner held the key to their salvation.

 

"Good to know! Here I thought we'd be ass-deep in demons forever." Fixing his gloves, Varric decided to introduce himself properly, "Varric Tethras: Rouge, storyteller and-" he cast a look at Cassandra "-occasionally, unwelcome tagalong."

 

"That's a nice crossbow you have there." She said, sounding a bit out of her element, well at least someone was acknowledging his work. He cast a longing look at Bianca

 

"Isn't she? Bianca and I have been through a lot together." Varric said, he expected her to say something about his crossbow, but she looked alright with it. "She'll be great company in the Valley."

 

"Absolutely not," Cassandra said, walking up to him, she sighed "Your help is appreciated Varric, but-"

 

"Have you been in the valley lately, Seeker? Your men aren't in control anymore you need me," Cassandra responded with a disgusted noise that pleased Varric's ears so much.

 

"My name is Solas, if there are to be introductions, I am pleased that you're still alive."

 

"As am I." The prisoner said, she bowed at both Solas and Varric "My name is Xui Qu." What an odd name "But for what it is worth, thanks."

 

"Cassandra, something you should know," Solas said, "The magic in the rift is completely different from any magic that I have seen, your prisoner is a mage of some kind," he cast a look at Xui, "but it is hard to imagine any mage having such power."

 

"Understood, we must get to the forward camp quickly." Cassandra walked off, quickly followed by Solas.

 

Leaving Xui and Varric behind, "Well... Bianca's excited." Varric said, feeling the excitement coursing through his bones.

 

Eventually, after walking and fighting through more of Haven's lovely climate of snow which Xui seemed to be struggling the most with, indicating that she wasn't used to cold climates. Though on the way, they were able to test out the mark and it turns out that the first case of the rifts being closed wasn't a fluke and that it was a reliable thing.

 

At the forward camp, there was Leliana there, looking about as abjectly terrifying as she normally did and Chancellor Rodrick who Varric was sure everyone universally hated.

 

"Ah, here they come," he said, his voice just about as irritating as ever.

 

"Chancellor Rodrick this is-"

 

"I know who she is." He said, "As Grand Chancellor of the Chantry, I hereby order you to take this Criminal to Val Royeaux to face execution." He commanded.

 

"Order me? You're nothing but a glorified clerk, a bureaucrat." Cassandra responded

 

"And you are a thug. But a thug who supposedly serves the Chantry!"

 

"We serve the Most Holy, Chancellor," Leliana said, her voice speaking of long-suffering and being tired of interacting with him.

 

"Justina is dead! We must elect a replacement and obey her orders on the matter." Rodrick responded.

 

"So none of you are actually in charge here," Xui said, annoyance plain on her face.

 

"You killed everyone who was in charge!" He roared at her, then he looked at Cassandra, his voice lowering to a more diplomatic tone "call a retreat a seeker, our position here is hopeless."

 

"We can stop this before it's too late."

 

"How? You won't survive long enough to reach the temple, even with all your soldiers."

 

"We must get to the temple, it is the quickest route," Cassandra said

 

"But not the safest," Leliana countered "Our forces can charge as a distraction while we go through the mountains." The three main people who seemed to be in charge started arguing with each other about what to do.

 

There was then a loud crack as Xui slammed her staff onto the stone of the bridge. "I don't care which route is safer, this Breach is spreading and it is actively killing me as well. We will take the Mountain pass, it may be cowardly, but it will all be worth nothing if we can't get through the temple."

 

Varric, Cassandra, Solas and this 'Xui' cut their way through the mountain pass, they eventually reached a rather large looking rift in the temple, it seemed to have crystallised and looked more like stalagmites sticking out in a sphere than a tear from which demons appear out of.

 

The Mark on Xui's hand started glowing the same shade of green that the rift was and it kept on glowing and then a woman's voice called out from the rift

 

"Someone help me!" The voice said it was Orlesian accented, then another voice, the voice of Xui said

 

"What's going on here?"

 

Cassandra was the most shocked "That was your voice. Most Holy called out to you, but why?"

 

The Rift flickered for a second and portrayed a somewhat translucent image, Divine Justina was stuck in an odd position with her arms held out to her sides, there was a shadowy form with glowing red eyes and then Xui herself, who said: "What's going on here?"

 

"Run while you can! Warn them!" Justina said, panic and fear thick in her voice.

 

Then the shadowy form spoke "We have an intruder." it looked directly at the form of Xui and pointed a large spindly finger at her "slay the human."

 

The image then went to a bright flash that then disappeared, leaving everyone with more questions than answers.

 

Though, as par for the course, more shades came flooding out the rift before anyone could really get a firm grasp on what was happening, Varric himself was starting to run out of crossbow bolts and Xui seemed to be breathing more heavily. Then, it appeared, a full-fledged Pride Demon, not an abomination, not a demon possessing a body, but a pure demon.

 

It was hideous and had a rather muscly and large grey form with massive arms. It seemed to turn its attention to Xui who started to dodge around it, but midway through the fight, her staff was broken in two, though that did not seem to deter her, she instead started to dodge more and even started to hit the embodiment of the sin of pride with her bare hands. Repeating a mantra to herself all the while "My body is steel, my mind is clear of worry, my soul strives only for perfection." Eventually, the demon was brought down by Cassandra of all people and a shaky Xui closed the rift with her mark before promptly passing out.

 

* * *

 

Time passed, at least a few days based on the rumbling in her stomach, Xui Qu sat up out of bed, she was in an unfamiliar wooden cabin and based off the temperature, the events that she experienced were most certainly not a dream. There were small animal furs mounted on the walls and she saw a brunette elf dressed in rather warm looking clothes enter the room with a box of things. Until she made eye contact with the human. "Oh!" she muttered as she dropped the box that she was holding. "I didn't know you were awake, I swear!" She said, shaking her head.

 

"Don't worry about it-" Xui began before the elf woman dropped to the ground and prostrated herself like she was praying at an altar.

 

"I beg your forgiveness and your blessing, I am but a humble servant." she said, her voice thick with fear, she looked up and made eye contact with the human "you are back in Haven, my lady. They say that you saved us, the Breach stopped growing just like the mark on your hand." The mark of Xui's hand lit up, it was still there but contained "it's all anyone has talked about for the last three days." She was out for three straight days, by the gods, that explained why she was so hungry.

 

"Then I'm guessing that the danger is over."

 

"The Breach is still in the sky, but that's what they say." She got up off the ground, "I'm sure that Lady Cassandra would want to know that you've awakened, she said 'at once'" the elf started to nervously walk away.

 

"And could you please tell me where she is?"

 

"In the Chantry, with the Lord Chancellor, 'At Once' she said." The elf finished before running out of the cabin that she was in.

 

Xui looked at what she was wearing, it was her normal travelling clothes but there was also a scarf placed over it and a thick fur jacket for the weather here in Haven. Xui was satisfied enough with her outfit and stepped outside of the cabin.

 

What she saw when she stepped outside is not the sort of thing that she expected to see, she expected some jeering crowd or just townspeople going about their lives. But instead, the entire village and its garrison had gathered outside the village, the soldiers were saluting her and the people were mumbling some things.

_"That's her, the Herald of Andraste"_

_"They said when she came out of the Fade, Andraste herself was watching over her."_

_"Hush, we shouldn't disturb her."_

_"Why did Lady Casandra have her in chains?"_

_"I thought Seekers knew everything."_

_"We were all frightened by after the explosion at the Conclave."_

_"It isn't complicated, Andraste herself blessed her."_

Xui was a bit freaked out about being named the herald of a diety that she had never heard of before, she was even more freaked out about the fact that the people who were previously calling for her head were praising her as their saviour. She walked up to the large building that she assumed was the 'Chantry'

 

There was a long, warm hallway and at the end was a large very sturdy looking door behind which, she heard the voice of Chancellor Rodrick "Have you all gone completely mad? She should be taken to Val Royeaux immediately to be tried by whomever becomes Divine."

 

Xui stepped through the door to be greeted by the Chancellor pointing at her "Chain her. I want her prepared for travel to the Capital for trial."

 

Cassandra was leaning over a table and looked up from a map of the area "Disregard that and leave us." two guards who Xui did not immediately notice left the room.

 

"You walk a dangerous line, Seeker."

 

"The Breach is stable, but it is still a threat, I will not ignore it."

 

"Chancellor, I respect your caution at such a time, but I did everything I could to close the Breach, and it almost killed me," Xui said,

 

"Yet you live, a convenient result, as far as you are concerned." He said, looking at her with hard eyes that didn't quite look like they wanted to see reason.

 

"Have a care, Chancellor, the Breach isn't the only threat we face," Cassandra said, with an equally hard voice.

 

"Someone was behind the explosion at the Conclave." The other woman, Leliana, if memory served said, "Someone Most Holy did not expect. Perhaps they died with the other's or they have allies who yet live."

 

" _I_ am a suspect?" The Chancellor said, sounding shocked and scandalised

 

"You and many others," Leliana responded, making it clear what she was stating.

 

"But _not_ the Prisoner?"

 

"I heard the voices in the Temple." Cassandra said, "The Divine called for her help."

 

"So her survival, that thing on her hand - all a coincidence?" He said,

 

"Providence the Maker sent her to us in our darkest hour," Cassandra responded.

 

"I don't know this Maker of yours, he is as unfamiliar to me as the town of Haven."

 

"See-"

 

"But, it is possible that he could still work through me, the Gods are not known for having respect for mortal lives." Xui said, she knew of many tales where the Gods worked through mortals, whether the mortal willed it or not.

 

"And yet the Breach remains, and you mark is our only hope of closing it," Leliana said

 

"That is not for you to decide," Rodrick said, before he could continue, Cassandra slammed a rather thick book on the table.

 

"Do you know what this is Chancellor? It is a Writ from the Divine, granting us the authority to act. As of this moment, I declare the Inquisition reborn." She started walking towards Rodrick, "We will close the Breach, we will find those responsible and we will restore order, with or without your approval."

 

Xui was still struggling with what was going on, when did she become a puppet for the Gods?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Xui starts to get acclimated to her position as the Herald of Andrastae and with the town of Haven as well.

Cassandra was still trying to figure out what sort of person this Xui Qu was, she vehemently denied any accusations of being a mage and claimed to be a monk, but Cassandra had never seen any kind of monk that her.

 

After a while, the monk was given her possessions back and Cassandra watched how she acted, the first necklace that had a small arrowhead design and was made out of marble went on first, then, the onyx earrings, then it was a decorative teeth necklace and finally, she picked up her staff, the brass designs on either end glowed in the dull light of the blacksmiths where the gear was being kept. She spun it around in her hands once, twice, thrice and then slug it over her shoulder. She gave off the image of a young warrior from the stories who was brave and courageous and ended up dying to give the main hero a motivation to go after the main villain.

 

"Should we get you some armour, herald?" Cassandra said, still internally wincing from referring to someone younger as a superior.

 

"My wisdom is my armour." Xui said, flipping her short hair "no, actually monks are trained to fight unarmoured."

 

"Uh-huh, so how long does the average monk live?" Cassandra asked

 

"Surprisingly long," She said, shrugging "Why does everyone assume that armour is needed for combat?" She muttered off to the side.

 

"So... where are you from anyway." Cassandra asked, making sure to remember the information to tell Leliana later. The monk gave her a smarmy look

 

"From your dreams..." She said, "no, I'm from the deserts of Mulhorand." There was a look of something flashing behind her eyes, Cassandra mentally racked her head as she tried to think of where she might have heard of the place, there was nothing, she had never heard of such a nation before. "Don't bother, even where I used to travel around, it wasn't that all well-known."

 

"Can you tell me a bit about yourself?" Cassandra asked, momentarily forgetting about the herald's title and trying to remember about as much information as she could so that she could save Leliana some time.

 

"I'm a Monk of the Way of Tranquility. Which roughly translates to 'I talk to people before hitting them'." Xui said, "I was born a slave, my parents were born slaves, my grandparents were born slaves, etcetera, etcetera." she rolled her hand at the last bit, seemingly finding talking about her family to be rather boring. "I only received my name at the Monastery, before then, I was just another one of the nameless masses who was recently emancipated." She paused "And that's about all I feel like talking about. Except for this, 'Thank you for keeping my equipment'."

  

* * *

 

 

Varric was the sort of person who liked to record down his adventures, they would often make for good books, which was probably why he was sitting in the tavern trying to come up with a nickname for the Herald. Who was currently sitting cross-legged on top of the table that Varric was sitting at.

 

"Varric, what's gotten you so worked up?" Xui said, "I know it's the literal end of the world, but that's no reason to be so down."

 

"No, of course, it's just that I live in the world, so I would prefer it to not be ending," Varric responded

 

"Of course," Xui said, "though there is something that I've been wondering, you seem like more of an opportunistic rouge type, which somehow doesn't really translate all that well to 'joining an organisation that makes you a pariah'-" She made air quotes with her fingers, "- so what exactly are you here for?"

 

Well wasn't that the million sovereign question? "Well, I like to think of myself as being as selfish and cowardly as the next man, but considering the hole in the sky and the demons that spill out from it, I don't think I can just let that resolve itself," Varric said, "that and there is a story to be told in this, but why are you here? I've written enough tragedies to know where this is going?"

 

Xui put a finger up to her chin "I remember when I was a kid, I was part of a monastery, my master, _Valoj_ , he told me that anyone can simply decide to walk away when things get tough, but it takes something special to see things through, no matter the result." She said, Varric mentally tried to figure out what sort of name 'Valoj' was, it sounded vaguely like a dwarf name, but was just slightly off. "So I suppose that's why I'm here, besides, I live in this world and I like living." She held up her left hand which sparked with that bright green light, almost on command.

 

It was at this moment, Varric decided on a nickname for her, 'Sparks' seemed like a good one.

 

* * *

  

Cullen has had his share of experiences within his life, experiences that would've left lesser men broken husks of what they once were and quite frankly, almost did as well. Somehow, the fact that he was 'the commander of the military branch of what is being deemed a heretical organisation' was squarely placed at about 'five' on the list of worst things that ever happened to him.

 

After all, he had no previous martial experience and he was appointed to the position of commander, which was a good turn for him. There was quite a bit of pride he felt when he saw some of his soldiers, (out of the about thirty people they had to their name) excel in their weapons practice, they were good and skilled human soldiers who relied on stamina and sinew to fight.

 

Then there was someone like the Herald, who had a rather... interesting technique, it was foreign and alien to him, much like the Herald herself, she almost danced as she practised with that staff of hers. He was almost sure that she was a mage, but according to her, she was a 'monk' whatever that entailed.

 

He saw one of his soldiers, a young human man named 'Karl Ball' if memory served, walk up to the Herald. "Excuse me, madam Herald?" He asked, bowing his head slightly as he approached her. "Would you like someone to spar with?" Cullen found himself heavily interested in this interaction.

 

Xui slammed her staff vertically down on the ground, the small brass end of the staff making a slight clang sound as it hit the rather snowy and rockery terrain that the troops were training on. Running her left hand through her hair she gave a small cocky grin "Sure, why not?" She said, passing her staff into her left hand and sinking down into a lower position, her form lowering and her open right hand was being held forward.

 

"Thank you, my lady. Fiora!" Karl shouted, looking over to another soldier who he had a small crush on, "could you watch this, please? Just to judge the contest."

 

"The Commander is watching, so there's no need," Fiora shouted back, "but this should still be interesting." She walked around and began to watch the fight.

 

"Till one of us is knocked down," Karl said as he lowered into a typical guard stance, only showing his left side to Xui with his buckler guarding some of his body.

 

His sword was held over the buckler in a ready position. The monk went forward first, striking high with her staff which Karl was able to block with his buckler quickly, but left himself open for the follow-up blow to the side from Xui's staff.

 

Karl countered with a rather skittish side slash with his longsword that Xui deflected upward with her right forearm of all things. Recovering quickly from such a shocking block, he brought his sword downward in a devastating slash that hit Xui square on the left shoulder. She tried to strike back with her staff but the strike was pathetic and barely went close to him but was enough to draw his attention long enough for her to deliver a rather unexpected sweeping kick that almost knocked him down if it weren't for the quick reflexes that allowed him to dodge backwards.

 

Karl ventured forward with a quick horizontal slash that Xui ducked under, he tried to catch her out with a backslash as she went back upwards, she brought her staff up just in time to deflect the slash upwards, but was enough to keep her off balance as her staff swung far too high to even come close to him and her right hand came close enough to almost hit him as he quickly brought up his buckler to deflect the blow like it was designed to do. But, seemingly undeterred another fast attack with her staff came up, connecting with the chest, the unexpected force of the impact enough to knock him down.

 

After the small sparring match, Xui helped Karl up and the two of them entered into a bit of light banter. Cullen felt that this was the proper time to talk to the Herald. "Lady Herald? Could I have a word?"

 

"Of course, what do you need?"

 

"I'm wondering a few things about you, one is that you don't seem to feel the need to wear armour in most fights, could you please tell me why?" Cullen did worry about that, usually, even rouges who fought in the front lines wore leather and not travelling clothes.

 

"Because armour weighs me down, I'm a monk, my body is steel, my mind is clear of worry, my soul strives only for perfection." She said. "Though, tell your soldiers that there are doing great work."

 

* * *

  

Solas was the sort of person who considered himself good at adapting when plans didn't quite line up as he was expecting to and this situation was certainly one of them, that damn orb had basically broken the world and now he was fighting alongside someone who had inadvertently become one of the most controversial figures in Thedas. A figure that was quickly approaching him and he noted with a slight laugh that she was shivering slightly under her thick coat and several layers of clothing while Solas, rather proudly, stood there in his simple breeches and tunic.

 

"Enjoying the weather?" Solas asked, he did have a sarcastic comment about her being a blessed hero ready, but this was a bit more fun.

 

"If someone told me when I left the Monastery, that I would end up shivering in a mountain, I would've stayed there," Xui said, Solas noted that she was wearing her coat like it was cape of some kind, with the sleeves being pinned to the main body of the coat.

 

"You are aware that the arms are supposed to go in the sleeves?"

 

"This coat is too big for that," Xui said, rubbing her arms for warmth "bloody weather."

 

"The chosen of Andrastae, a blessed hero sent to save us all," Solas said with thick sarcasm in his voice.

 

"I hope I'll be riding in on a shining steed?" Xui shot back, her cold seemingly momentarily forgotten for matching his sarcasm

 

"I would have suggested a griffon, but they are, sadly, extinct." Solas said and then dropped the sarcasm, "Joke as you will, posturing is necessary." He stepped away and began to think "I've journeyed deep into the Fade in ancient ruins and battlefields to see the dreams of lost civilisations, I've watched as hosts of spirits clash to reenact the bloody past in wars both famous and forgotten." He looked at the somewhat shivering, young human that was standing behind him, "Every great war has its heroes, I'm just curious what kind you'll be."

 

"You study ancient ruins?" Xui asked and Solas, well Solas was preparing himself to give a lecture about his powers as a dreamer.

 

"Any building strong enough to withstand the rigours of time has its history, every battlefield is stepped in death. Both attract spirits, they press against the Veil, weakening the barrier between our worlds. When I dream in such places, I go deep into the Fade and can find memories that no other living being has ever seen." Solas said, giving a lecture

 

"I'm guessing that you leave wards and food for beasts in the ruins."

 

"Yes, with wards and food, the giant spiders are content to live and let live," Solas said, a bit amused as the Herald seemed to grimace at the mention of 'giant spiders'

 

"I guess I could say that it's impressive," Xui said and Solas found himself a little bit disappointed at the lack of knowledge that this human possessed about the Fade.

 

"Thank you. It's not a common field of study, for obvious reasons. Not nearly as flashy as throwing fire or lightning." He said, "The thrill of finding the remnants of a thousand-year-old dream, I wouldn't trade that for anything. I will stay then, at least until the Breach is closed."

 

"Was that in doubt?"

 

"I'm an apostate mage surrounded by forces of the Chantry and I do not have a divine mark protecting me. Cassandra has been accommodating, but you understand my caution."

 

"You came here to help, I'll be sure to remind them of that." Xui said

 

"Thank you," He said, a bit surprised at the claim that Xui gave "For now let us hope that either the mages or the Templar will be enough to seal the Breach."

 

Xui walked away. Giving a small nod.

 

* * *

   

Xui hated the cold, it was her least favourite thing, she was a child of the desert and even though she grew up in the Monastery, it was still warm, but this place was ungodly cold. Though it was not that cold whenever she entered the main Chantry building, apparently Cassandra wanted to speak with her in the War Room, which Xui assumed was the big room where Cassandra had officially declared the Inquisition reborn.

 

When she entered there were four older people there, Cullen was there in his dress uniform, Leliana was there wearing her usual odd mix of robes and chainmail. There was a woman with sunkissed skin wearing a yellow and purple dress, with her raven black hair done up into an exquisite braided bun.

 

"I believe that you already know Commander Cullen, leader of the Inquisition's Forces," Cassandra said, introducing the blond man who looked like he had seen the best and worst that humanity had to offer. His dress uniform was quite well polished and almost looked like it would do well in battle, with its obvious armouring around the chest, arms and legs, though the red fur-lined vest on his armour looked like it would get in the way in combat.

 

"All thirty of them, yes." Xui said sarcastically.

 

"And this is Lady Josephine Montilyet, our Ambassador and Chief Diplomat."

 

"A pleasure to meet you." The woman in question said, she was holding a board in her arms that was laden with forms and had the appearance of someone who was about ten minutes away from a mental breakdown.  Though Xui could spend quite a while listening to that sing-song accent of hers.

 

"And of course, you know Sister Leliana." Cassandra finished,

 

"My position here involves a degree of-" Leliana began only to be cut off by Cassandra

 

"She is our spymaster." The short-haired woman finished.

 

"Yes, tactful as always, Cassandra," Leliana responded, a small hint of snark in her voice.

 

"Pleased to meet you all," Xui responded, knowing that it would be best to make a first impression.

 

"As you know, your mark needs more power to close the breach for good." Cassandra said.

 

"Which means that we must approach the rebel mages for help." Leliana finished. From what little Xui understood about mages in this odd... plane of existence she would guess, it was that the term 'mage' was applied for their wizards and sorcerers all in one, but she hadn't heard anything about warlocks, not yet anyway.

 

"And I still disagree, the Templars could serve just as well." Cullen argued. From what she understood, Templars were sort of paladins whose main purpose was hunting mages.

 

"We need power Cullen, enough magic poured into the mark-" Cassandra began

 

"Might destroy us all. Templars could suppress the Breach, weaken it so-" Cullen argued

 

"Pure speculation." Leliana said, shooting down Cassandra's argument like a bird.

 

" _I_ was a Templar, I _know_ what they are capable of." Cullen argued back.

 

"Unfortunately, neither group will even speak to us yet." Josephine, who had been observing this exchange, said "The Chantry has, rather predictably, denounced the Inquisition,-" She looked at Xiu " and you, specifically."

 

"That was quick," Xui said, not at all surprised by that.

 

"Shouldn't they be busy arguing over who's going to become the Divine?" Cullen asked.

 

"Some are calling you, a foreign human who doesn't even know of the Maker, the 'Herald of Andrastae'. That frightens the Chantry, the remaining clerics have declared it blasphemy and that we are heretics for harbouring you."

 

"Chancellor Rodrick's doing, no doubt." Cassandra said with plenty of contempt in her voice.

 

"It limits our options. But for now, approaching either the Templars or the Mages for help is out of the question."

 

"Just how am _I_ the 'Herald of Andrastae'?" Xui asked, this religion was already confusing her, was she supposed to be worshipping the Maker or this Andrastae woman, she would have to read up on this later.

 

"People saw what you did at the temple. How you stopped the Breach from growing," Cassandra explained "They have also heard of the woman seen in the rift when we first found you. They believe that was Andrastae."

 

"Even if we tried to stop that view from spreading-" Leliana began

 

"Which we have not," Cassandra chimed in, earning a glare from Leliana

 

"The point is that everyone is talking about you." Leliana finished, sounding a bit miffed.

 

"Quite the title, how do you feel about that?" Cullen asked, sounding a bit concerned.

 

"It's... a little unsettling." Xui responded

 

Cullen chuckled at that "I'm sure the Chantry would agree." he said

 

"People are desperate for a sign of hope. For some, you're that sign." Leliana provided

 

"And to others, a symbol of everything that's gone wrong in the world." Josephine finished

 

"I would assume that the Chantry won't attack us." Xui said

 

"Exactly, they have only words at their disposal," Cullen said

 

"Words can cut deeper than any knife." Xui said, visibly surprising the diplomat in the room.

 

"There is something you can do," Leliana said, "a Chantry Cleric by the name of Mother Giselle has asked to speak to you. She is not far and knows those involved better than I. Her assistance could be invaluable." Leliana said.

 

"I'd like to talk to her as well." Xui responded.

 

"You will find Mother Giselle tending to the wounded in the Hinterlands, near Redcliffe." Leliana provided, rattling off the information like she already had several plans on how to find her already.

 

"Look for opportunities to expand the Inquisition's influence while you are there." Cullen provided

 

"We need agents to expand our reach beyond the Valley, you are far better suited to recruit them than anyone here." Josephine said, flattering the monk slightly.

 

"In the meantime, Let's think of other options. I won't leave this all to the Herald." Cassandra said, making Xui feel less daunted by the task that was set out in front of her.

 

"If Mother Giselle dies, any hope of the Chantry Support dies with her," Leliana explained, "my scouts can slip through the fighting and protect her."

 

"I will trust you with that Sister Leliana." Xui said, hoping that she didn't sound too nervous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am seriously enjoying this far more than I should be enjoying this. So basically with the two comments and, at time of writing, seven kudos, I have decided to continue this, I hope you are happy.
> 
> Mulhorand - A desert nation that is basically an Ancient Egypt expy. It is one of the options for the "Far Traveller" Character Origin.
> 
> I like to imagine Xui Qu as being True Neutral, leaning towards Neutral Good, though she is on the Way of Tranquility, so there would be some leaning towards the more Lawful side of things as well.
> 
> Also, this fic has turned into an excuse to watch Youtube to get specific dialogue lines. Not that I terribly needed an excuse, but what have you.


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